Sensitive door edge device



Se t. 9, 1952 w. HAMILTON SENSITIVE DOOR EDGE DEVICE 3 sheet's sh'eet 1 Filed April 29, 1948 INVENTOR Ti E.

WALLACE HAMILTON ATTORNEYS Sept. 9, 1952 w, HAMILTON 2,610,268

SENSITIVE DOOR EDGE DEVICE Filed April 29, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 /3 //y$ ill/5- gvgfi 7%- L 4 Ti IINVENTOR. WALLAGE HAMILTON ATTORNEYS Paten ted Sept. 9, 1952 SENSITIVE DOOR EDGE DEVICE Wallace Hamilton, Albany, N. Y., assignor to Consolidated Car-Heating Company, Inc., Albany, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 29, 1948, Serial No. 24,080

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in the design and construction of sensitive door edge devices.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a substantially unitary construction for such a device which may be easily attached to and removed from the edge of the door on which it is used without disturbing the adjustment of the device or any parts of the door.

A further object of this invention is to provide a sensitive edge device Whose sensitivity is completely independent of normal temperature changes in the direction of the door length with changes in ambient temperature.

A further object of this invention is to provide a sensitive edge device employing a pressure deflected cable for actuating it in cooperation with cable supporting members which increase the deflection of the cable member when pressure is applied thereto to increase the overall sensitivity of the device and to sharply increase the sensitivity of the device at these supporting members.

Other and more detailed objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the embodiment thereof illustrated in the attached drawings.

This invention resides substantially in the combination, construction, arrangement and relative location of parts, all as will be described in detail below.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the upper end of the device of this invention showing a portion of the door and some parts in cross section;

Figure 2 is a vertical, elevational view of the structure of Figure 1 showing the shoe or outer flexible housing in cross-section;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 of an intermediate section of the device;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 of the lower end of the device and the door, wherefore Figures 1, 4 and 5 together are representative of all of the features of construction of the complete device in side elevation with the flexible housing in cross-section;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

'Figure, 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the 7 line 1-'! of Figure 4;

Figure 8 is a plan view of the device and the edge end of the door;

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional View taken on the lineB-S of Figure 1;

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line Ill-Ill of Figure 1;

Figure 11 is a bottom View of the device and the edge portion ofthe door; and

Figure 12 is a View of the parts shown in Figure 4 and shows the position assumed by these parts when the door edge meets an obstacle.

With the exception of the removable cap all of the structure comprising this invention forms a single unitary structure of which the parallel bars I and 2 form the base. These bars extend downwardly from the plates 4 and 5 (Fig. 1) to a point adjacent the bottom edge of the door, as shown in Figure 5. Secured between these bars at their upper end and telescoping with them to a point adjacent the member 1 is a hook shaped fixture 3 which is secured between the bars by means of the rivets 6 which also attach a pair of plates 4 and 5 to the opposite sides of the bars (see Figs. 9 and 10). The thickness of the hook member 3 is such as to properly space the bars I and 2. Also secured between the bars adjacent the lower end of the hook member 3 is a bracket 1 which is secured therebetween by means of the rivets 8 and which bracket has a terminal cylindrical guide portion 9 having a concentric passage therethrough.

The bars are secured together at their longitudinal points with the levers l l and I3 pivotally mounted between the bars. The lever II is provided with an end face ll which terminates at its upper end in a rounded corner I I (see Fig. 4) and is enclosed by means of a U-shaped strap l4 welded to the sides thereof, as is shown in detail in Figure 7 in connection with lever 13. As will be seen from Figure 4, for example, the longitudinal end face of the levers such as the levers l l and I3 has a substantial length and the straps l4 and I5 hold the cable 25 against these faces, so that as will be apparent later, and as illustrated in Figure 12, when the cable is deflected sharp bends will be formed in the wire magnifying its effective reduction in length to thereby insure positive operation of the control device 34 even on slight deflections of the cable.

Lever I3 is of a shape similar to lever ll having the end face [3 and the rounded corner l3 is provided with the U-shaped clip [5 secured to like, is a, spacing block I 9 having a threaded pas- 3 sage therethrough to receive the end of a screw 20 which passes slidably through a bracket 2| secured to the hook shaped fastening plate 22. A compression spring 53 is mounted on the screw 20 and lies between its head and the bracket 2 I. A fixture 23 in the form of a rod is provided with an enlargement 24 which has a longitudinal surface slot, as shown in Figure 6, in which the edge of the other arm of lever I6 lies. At the end of. this arm the bell crank lever I6 is provided with a cylindrical sleeve IIi through: which the rod' 23 passes. The lower end of rod 23 is threaded and a nut 23 secures it in the sleeve I6 Extending between the rod 23 andarod'128' (see: Figs. 1 and 2) is a cable 25 of suitable size andof a material having the same orapproximately the.

same co-eificient of thermal expansion as bars I and 2. Its lower end 25 (see Fig. is secured in the end of rod 23 and its upper end is similarly secured in the lower end ofrod 26; Rod 2Iiis provided with an integral collar 21 and lying'between it and the sleeve 9' through which rod 25 passes is a compression spring 28. From this construction it will be seen that'the cable 25 is stretched between the rods 23 andZIi under a tension provided by spring 28 which can be properly proportioned to hold'the' cable by-meansof adjusting nut 23. Substantially throughout the length of the cable are a plurality of beads 29' strungthereon. The cable passes through the straps I4 and I5 of the levers II and I3; as is clear from Fig- 'ures 4 and '7.

V Secured between the' plates 4- and 5 is asuitable switch 34 whichmay-be of the-type known commonly as a mircoswitch. This switchis-provided with an operating" button 35positioned to be actuated by a bell cra'n-k lever 35- pivotally mounted on the pivot pin 31 extending between the plates 4' audit Onea'rm ofthe bell crank 34 engagesthe upper'end of rod 26.- The other end engages a longitudinally adjustable screw 32 threadedly mounted in the hook member" 31- A compression spring'33 bears on the bell crank lever 30 tending-to urge it-in a clockwise"direc--' ber- 3 and-a similar groove in the-bottom edgeitoi receivethe attaching member 22 Thus the structure is hooked into thetop recess ofthe door so that it hangs down along the fronteclge thereof, the hook 22 isinserted in-the bottom edge of the door and the screw 20 with the spring 53' thereon is passed through the bracket 2-1: and threaded into the'block' I9 and brought up so that spring 53 is compressed; 'I h-us-the entire structure is very easily attached to the edge ofthe door and removed' there'from by'theseopera'tions, making itunnecessaryto iremove' the flexible shoe lfl'fromthe door I IL The entire 'strueture is enclosed w-ithi'n a collap'sible shoe '40-'such'as is commonly used with such devices and which frequently comprises a rubberizedzfabric'or rubber sheetingof the proper stiffness; Q The fabric of the shoe 40' is f'ol'ded around" the structure-into achannel shape; as

shown in Figure 9; and the edges are' either attached to" the side facesiof the door; or in the case'of a metal"door',"as illustrated inthe drawings, they may be swaged into longitudinal grooves in the front edge of the door, as clearly indicated in Figures 8 to 11 inclusive. The upper end of the housing thus formed is closed by means of a suitably shaped plug M which may consist of a flanged body which can be forced down into the tubular space formed by the housingand held in place simply by friction, asillustratedin Figures 1 and 2. The tension on the cable 25 can be adjusted by means of the nut 23 (as previously mentioned) against the resistance of spring 28. The enlarged portion 24 of the rod 23 engages the lever IE5 at theslot in the portion 24 for the purposeofpreventing'the rod 23 from turning when the nut is turned. Screw 32 is adjustable to properly positionthe bell crank lever 30 with respect to the operating button 35 and the switch 34 so" that they will be in proper operational relation.

Aside from the. structural features of. the device which are now apparent it is desired toamphasize the cooperation of the cable 25 with the lower. corners II and I3 ofthe straps l t and [5 respectively and the rounded upper corners I l and. I3 of thelevers II and I3 respectively. As is well understood, when the door strikes: an object in closing. the collapsible housing. so. is depressed, as shown in Figure 12, so. that the. pressure is transferred to the beads 29. andthenceto the. cable 25 which causesitto be deflected towards the door edge. Immediately upon deflectionythecable 25 engages the rounded corner I I or I3 =of the levers II and I3 et al., depending upon the vertical position and the pressure applied. to the device, and continued deflection causesthewire to bendaround these corners and the corners I I and 13 and thereby form. an abrupt temporary offset in the: wire, causing its tendency'to shorten to be magnified; asshown: in-FigurelZ. This enhanced shortening'of the wire causesa swift and sure downward movement of the rod 25 against the resistance: of spring 28, releasing the. bell crank lever-so. that spring 33 may cause itto rotate clockwise (Fig. I) and operate the switch 34.

Switch 34, of course, as is. well known, is: in a circuit through the wire 37. which controls he motor device which is closing the doonto reverse itto cause it to open, and/or to operate a warning device such as a bell or light, to sign fy. that the door has encountered an obstacle.

Referring to Figure 5,.it can beseen that when the device is installed screw 20is screwed into the block I9 to the full exte t Of its threa gap is left between bracket 2I and the lower end of the bars I and 2. This gap is greater than any relative change of length between the door I Ii and the bars I and 2.;JWhich Would-be CQJJSBQJDY differential expansion. It can be-seen that by means of the sprin 53, the'bars. ,I'and 2are kept under tension at all times. Variations in relative length of the door and'the'bars cause this gap to increase or. decrease. Since thecableifi is: made of. a material having substantially the same 00- efiicient of thermal expansion asthe bars I and 2, theiitrrespective'lengths do not vary substantially with relation to each'otherat diiferenttemperatures, thereby maintaining a uniform sensitivity of thedevice.

It can also be seen that this'typ'e of construction has the additional advantage ofbeing able to compensate for variations in length due to manufacture.

From the above descriptionit will be apparent'to those skilled in the art that the subject matter of this invention is capable of 'somemechanical variation, and I do not, therefore, desire to be strictly limited to the illustrative example herein given, but rather only as required by the claims granted me.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sensitive door edge device, the combination comprising a single support adapted to be attached at the leading edge of a door, a flexible cable, means for mounting said cable on said sup port under tension, a control device mounted on said support to be actuated when said cable is deflected under pressure, a plurality of levers pivotally mounted on said support and straps attached to the ends of said levers and enclosing the adjacent portions of said cable, said support and cable being made of materials having substantially the same coefficient of thermal expansion.

2. In the combination of claim 1, said means for supporting the cable under tension comprising a bracket for slidably supporting the end of said cable adjacent said control device, and a pivoted arm to Which the other end of said cable is attached, said plurality of levers being pivotally mounted between said bracket and said arm.

3. In the combination of claim 1, said plurality of levers having fiat ends lying parallel to said cable and said straps confining the cable for at least the full length of said fiat lever ends.

4. In the combination of claim 1, means for attaching said support to the leading edge of the door, comprising an integra1 yoke engaging the top edge of the dOor, a separate yoke for engaging the lower edge of the door, and resilient means for attaching said second yoke to the lowor end of said support.

WALLACE HAMILTON.

REFERENCES CITED lhe following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,576,950 Conklin Mar, 26, 1926 1,705,406 Hynes et al Mar. 12, 1929 1,944,157 Forman Jan. 23, 1934 2,303,434 Chandler et al Dec. 1, 1942 2,524,461 McDowell Oct. 3, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 384,551 Great Britain Dec. 8, 1932 

